They stood for a moment longer, just looking at each other, then turned to go inside. As he held open the screen door, she brushed his fingertips with her own as she passed.
‘Thank you, Nathan,’ she said, politely.
‘You’re welcome, Ilse.’
He could see her smiling to herself as she disappeared down the hall.
Nathan sat now on the couch, looking at Cameron’s artwork. He could pinpoint the spot beneath the headstone where the earth had been dug up in real life. In the painting, that piece of ground was smooth and untouched. In the corner of the room, the Christmas tree shivered in a draught of air. Someone had put it back up since yesterday.
The pounding of small footsteps filled the hallway and the girls piled into the room. They were holding presents under their arms, and even Lo seemed interested for once. Liz followed, carrying a tray of coffee mugs. There was the sound of a toilet flushing along the hall and a minute later Bub appeared. He hovered at the edge, leaning against the door. He had a beer in his hand.
‘What? It’s Christmas,’ he said, as Liz frowned.
She turned to Nathan. ‘Where’s Xander?’
‘I’ll get him.’
‘We’re not waiting to start opening, Uncle Nathan.’ Sophie’s voice floated behind him as he got up.
‘I wouldn’t dream of asking you to.’
Xander was fast asleep in bed, his hair dark against the pillow, and Nathan felt a pang of nostalgia. It had always been Xander who had woken him up on Christmas morning, every second year. This could realistically be the last Christmas they would spend together, Nathan thought. And either way, his son would be fully grown up next time. The room felt a little bare and Nathan realised Xander had already started packing a few things. He stared at his backpack and sighed.
‘What are you doing?’
Nathan looked over to see Xander awake. ‘Watching you sleep, my son and heir.’
Xander smiled. ‘That’s weird.’
‘Then you should have got up earlier. Happy Christmas.’
‘You too.’ Xander seemed in a better mood than yesterday, at least. He nodded at Nathan’s bruise. ‘Your eye looks bad.’
‘It’s all right. You should see the other guy.’
‘I did, last night. Bub was fine.’ Xander was watching Nathan with a bemused look. ‘What’s up with you anyway?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I don’t know. You seem sort of . . . happier.’
‘Oh. Well. It’s Christmas, isn’t it?’
‘Yeah. I suppose.’
‘There you go. The girls are opening their presents.’
Xander pulled himself up to sit against the pillow. ‘So we’re really doing this? Christmas like nothing has happened?’
‘They’re just kids, mate. You were excited at that age too.’ Nathan started towards the door. ‘Get dressed and come through when you’re ready.’
‘Dad –’ Xander took a breath. ‘I don’t think Sophie hurt her arm riding.’
Nathan sat back down.
‘I was talking to her yesterday and when I mentioned it, she seemed to kind of . . . forget. Then she got this weird look on her face, like she’d said something she wasn’t supposed to.’
The funeral had opened the floodgates, Nathan thought. With Cam safely in the ground, it seemed everyone felt more able to say what they couldn’t when he was walking around. Nathan looked now at his son. He was nearly grown up in so many ways now. Not a child anymore. And there had already been too many secrets kept for too long in that house.
